


A World Alone

by empress_moon



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, Post-Avengers: Infinity War, major infinity war spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-27
Updated: 2018-04-27
Packaged: 2019-04-28 14:09:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14450910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/empress_moon/pseuds/empress_moon
Summary: Just a short, sad Stucky thing I had to write after watching the movie.***MAJOR SPOILERS***





	A World Alone

**Author's Note:**

> I just saw the movie a few hours ago and this just came flowing out of me as soon I got home. There's nothing explicitly romantic happening so I guess it could be read as platonic if you want. There are other characters mentioned but I only tagged those with speaking roles to keep the tags clean. I didn't tag much else beside spoilers for the movie, but anymore tags would be more spoilers? So I chose not to use the archive warnings. Let me know if it needs more tags. 
> 
> >>This all takes place right at the end of the film. I obviously didn't relay everything exactly as it happened. 
> 
> Enjoy

Steve watched as Bucky fell apart into ash before he could even reach him. Watched the confusion and fear play across his face.

Watched him disappear into a pile at his feet. Watched him die.

 

It was worse than watching him fall, because at least then there had been hope of a body, that small sliver of ‘He could still be alive.’

(And he had been.)

 

But this…

 

He held some of what was left of him, it wasn’t real ash-there had been no flames. It had a texture like fine wood shavings, light yet coarse. It was warm, but cooling fast. It trickled through his fingers back to the ground.

 

This was it. 

 

Steve could hear the others, talking and shouting in the background as they took in what was happening. But he just knelt there over Bucky’s . . . remains and stared. His brain was buzzing with adrenaline from the fighting and his heart was racing, but he clenched his jaw against any emotion that tried to rise out of him-anger,fear,sorrow,regret,all of it. Pushed it down until he was numb.

 

“Steve,”

 

Bucky had called out for him, reaching for Steve in his final moments and Steve had barely been able to react before it was over.

 

“Steve,”

 

Bucky, who’d been improving everyday. The Wakandan’s tech and medicine doing so much for him, healing him. Giving him hope, real tangible hope, that maybe he could move past what had been done to him.

 

“Steve!”

 

Steve flinched and looked to his left to see Natasha kneeling next to him. It had been her who was calling his name. He’d just been hearing Bucky’s voice, over and over. His voice was hoarse when he spoke.

 

“Who else?” Natasha looked away, avoiding Steve’s eyes and pile of not-ash both. “Who else?” he demanded this time.

She looked back at him with real sadness in her eyes as she quietly recited names.

 

_T’Challa_

_Wanda_

_Groot_

_Sam_

 

Steve closed his eyes against more feeling that threatened to rise up out of him. Not now, there would be time for that later. He took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly, knowing in that moment that everyone was watching him. Waiting on him to take the lead, to stand up and have a plan.

 

But he didn’t have a plan.

 

His only plan had been to fight, to protect his friends, his planet, and he had failed.

 

Steve opened his eyes and looked at Natasha, her eyes still sad, shiny with tears she also refused to cry. Not here, not now.

 

“We should regroup back at the palace,” He cleared his throat and spoke louder. “We need to figure out how many people have been. . .lost. We will assist the Wakandans as much as we can and plan our next step.” He spoke with much more confidence than he had, but he knew it was a solid course of action.

 

Natasha nodded once, stood and moved to turn away when Steve’s hand shot out to grab her wrist.

She looked down at him, but he was looking at the ground, at what was left of his life.

 

“Collect what you can of-” He took in a shuddering breath, in and out. Steve caught Natasha’s eye. “Sam. Wanda. We’re bringing them home.” He said firmly, as if she would disagree. He waited for her to nod before releasing her wrist and turning back to the ground. Another deep breath.

 

Steve reached his hands out to gather up some of the not-ash, placing as much as he could in the largest pouch on his belt.

 

Bucky had told him once, a lifetime ago, that he wanted his ashes spread somewhere in New York, but Steve already knew that he wasn’t going to be able to honor that wish.

 

"I’m sorry, Buck, I’m so sorry," he whispered to the ground. His final moments here before he would have to turn and leave, turn and face the world.

 

A world half empty.

 

A world alone.

 

**fin**

 

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it.  
> I have some more ideas for post IW sad grieving Steve storylines let me know if you're interested.  
> follow me on twitter @sea_coal or on tumblr at dennis-james-khaled.tumblr.com if you'd like to scream/cry about this movie with me  
> thanks for reading!


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